How do you prepare to record a podcast episode?

In the past podcasts I've been involved with (Paper Donkey Podcast focusing on authors and the editorial / writing process, and Chat to the Future, helping highlight interesting WeWork members) I'd always go into the podcast with a list of questions prepared to help guide the conversation, as well as a brief introduction (3-4 sentences at the most) for each participant. The rest of it would be organic, freeform discussion!

When I started a blog, I wrote over a hundred blog posts in my first year, including interviews with the inventor of an inflatable deep pressure vest, an autism researcher in the UK who was working with Dr. Simon Baron Cohn, and several creators of learning apps.

I realize this may seem like an obvious suggestion, but write on what your passionate about. There are so many forgettable blogs and podcasts out there that feel like someone’s just repeating a formula ad nauseum.

Another tip would be to be respectful of your reader’s time. Always ask yourself if you can cut paragraphs out and still have the same impact.

Lastly, write shorter paragraphs as it’s easier to digest on a smartphone. Unless you can write like @JazliAziz , in which case write however you want.

Unless you can write like @JazliAziz , in which case write however you want.

Lol thanks for the shoutout!

(or even writing a blog post)?

@ypn I don't know anything about podcasting, but I do have quite a bit of writing experience, so I'll chime in on this.

The obvious difference between the two is that podcasts are usually live, or at least recorded, whereas writing isn't. So for podcasts, you need to get everything prepared and ready for when you go live/start recording. Making mistakes and being unprepared can look quite bad on a podcast, whereas when you write, nobody will see what you've written until you publish your post. Until then, you can take as long as you need and make as many changes as you want. As a result, you typically don't need to be as prepared to start writing as you would if you wanted to start a podcast. It's kind of easier to start writing. With that in mind, here are some basic tips I can think of off the top of my head.

1. Always take notes of your ideas. I take notes if I ever get an idea for a post I want to write. Over time that idea may grow, or change direction, so taking notes of all your thoughts and ideas is a good way to get a starting structure for a post you want to write. It's also good for keeping track of multiple ideas, since you may get ideas for several posts before you actually start writing one.

2. Don't force yourself to write. I love writing but even I sometimes find myself not in the mood. When you aren't in that right state of mind, the words just won't come out, and anything you force yourself to write may not be that good. I've written entire paragraphs before only to completely delete them because I wasn't happy with what I wrote. When you are in the zone, then writing will come naturally for you, so don't force it.

3. Lastly, just be yourself. Write the way you want to. Don't feel the need to conform to conventional writing styles. If you don't know what your style is, just start writing. My style has evolved over time, and the more you write, the more you'll discover how you like to write.

Hope these few tips help you get started. I just realised they could also be applied to podcasts in a way. I guess any form of content creation really.